Running round (run-round)

Running round means moving the locomotive from one end of its train to the other — for example to pull an arriving train back out in the opposite direction, or to work an industry facing the “wrong” way. It needs a path around the train (a runaround track) or, in a stub track, backing over a turnout. Without a way to run round, the only option left is propelling over the running line — awkward, and quickly impractical on branch and yard tracks.